Scouring machine



April 15, 1930.

H. WARREN SCOURING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 15, 1930.

H.. WARREN SCOURING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES.

HAROLD WARREN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHIN- PATENT OFFICE ERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY sooUnrNG MACHINE Application filed February 27, 1924, Serial No. 695,558. Renewed December 1, 1926.

This invention relates to scouring machines. The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine designed for scouring heels.

In the manufacture of mens shoes provided with multi-section heels (for example heels with leather base sections and rubber top sections), it has been found desirable to form substantially the final surface upon the breast of the heel base of such a heel prior to its attachment to the shoe in order to avoid the possibility of damage to the shoe by the knife of a heel breasting machine or of damage to the shank of the sole from the attempt to scour the base of the heel into the sharp corner formed by the shoe sole and the breast of the heel base. It has been found also'that the breast face at the heel base can be formed more quickly and accurately before the base is attached to the shoe. In such cases it hasbeen proposed, as set forth, in Serial No. 655,541, Letters Patent No. l,554=,8l2, granted September 22, 1925, on an application filed August 3, 1923, by George E. lVarren, that the breast surface of the top section be.

scoured and otherwise finishedto accord with the breast surface of the already finished heel base.

Viith this in View, one object of the present invention is to provide a machine adapted for scouring the breast surface of the top section of a multi-section heel conveniently and accurately.

In accordance with a feature of the invention. the scouring element of the illustrated machine consists of an endless belt which is mounted upon a movably supported frame and driven by means, illustrated as an electric motor, also carriedby said frame. The frame is constructed and arranged to present a limited part of the driven belt to the Work at any given instant andis movably mounted on the machine so that it constitutes a selfcontained unit by means of Which this operating portion of'the'belt may be presented to and moved along the surface of the Work. Preferably the frame is so supported that the operating point of the belt is movable along a predetermined path.

Another feature of the invention consists I in a novel arrangement for supporting a shoe with relation to the scouring element, such that even though there be irregularities or inaccuracies in the conformation of the breast surface of the heel base, the scouring of the top section of the heel Will be accurately gaged by the contour of the correspond ing part of the heel base and the scouring means will be so applied to the top section of the heelas to finish its breast in exact correspondence With the actual breast surface of the heel base.

Still another feature of the invention resides in a novel gaging device supported adjacent to one edge ofthe scouring element at the active operating point thereof and arranged to contact with the breast of a heel. This gaging device may advantageously be arranged both to effect a preliminary positioning of the heel and to control the position of the heel with respect to the scouring element duringthe operation upon the breast of the heel. As illustrated, this gage takes the form of a thin plate supporting oneedge of the abrasive belt and having a curvature substantially like that of the breast of the heel to be scoured.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an arrangement for supporting the shoe such that the curved side and rear peripheral surfaces of a heel section as Well as the heel breast may conveniently be secured Without the necessity of accurate guiding on the part of the operator. To this end, the shoe is mounted upon a pivoted support (which is bodily movable as Well), and guiding means areprovided for moving the shoe on its support past the operating point of the scouring tool. For this operation, the frame carrying the scouring belt is held in fixed position With respect to the base of the machine.

The machine may advantageously be utilized in this manner both in those cases in which the side and rear surfaces of heel bases are trimmed before the heel bases are attached to the shoes and those cases in Which the trimming has been delayed until after the application of the top sections of the heels, In cit-her case, however, the outer surface of the top section conforms closely to the outer surface of the heel base and the function of the machine is simply to perform a finishing operation to render this surface continuous and smooth rather than to make a roughing cut to remove any substantial quantity of material.

For a more complete understanding of the preferred embodiment of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the machine arranged for scouring the breast of a rubber heel top section,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same arrangement, i

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section showing the relation of the tool and the breast of the heel.

Fig. 4 is a section showing the rand crease guide for the heel, and

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the arrangement of the machine when it is utilized for scouring the outside surface of a heel.

Preferably the machine will be mounted on a bench or table 10 and comprises an upright standard 12 provided at its upper end with a bearing 14. Rotatably mounted on this bearing and supported by means of a pin 16 is a frame 18 provided with a forwardly eX- tending arm 20, lateral arms 22 and 24, and an arm 26, extending to the rear, which constitutes a support for a motor 30 arranged with its shaft in a vertical position. This motor is secured to the arm 26 by means of a clamp 28 and an adjustable stop 32 on the motor is arranged to contact with the upright 12 to limit the movement of the frame 18 in one direction. A handle is secured to the upper end of the pin 16 and suitable ball bearings may be provided between said handle and the bearing 14 to insure easy movement of the frame on the standard. Mounted on the lower end of the shaft of the motor is a flanged pulley 36 which, together with similar pulleys 38 and 40 mounted on the arms 24 and 22, respectively, supports an abrasive belt 42 serving as a scouring element. Thus the lower edge of the belt moves closely adjacent to the base of the heel and in a plane near the plane of the sole of the shoe. A fourth pulley for the belt 42 is provided at the forward end of the arm 20 in the form of a depending stud 44 on which there is mounted a rotatable sleeve 46 (Fig. 3) provided with a shoulder between its ends and resting at its lower end upon a gage 50. This gage, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, has an oval shape designed preferably so that a portion of its forward edge has a curvature approximately like that of the breast of the heel base. It is positioned upon the stud so as to underlie and support the abrasive belt not only at its ends but at its central point where the belt is in operative engagement with the heel. Here it projects beyond the sleeve 46 (see Fig. 3) an amount equivalent to the thickness of the abrasive belt so as to control its action. The gage 50 is extended laterally for a suflicient distance to insure its easy contact with the corner of the leather heel base of a heel as the machine is swung from a side position, which ordinarily will be determined by the position of the stop 32, to a position where said gage 50 contacts with the corner of the heel breast. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the bottom face of the gage is beveled to allow clearance for the shank of a shoe in order to allow full freedom of contact between the operative face of the belt and the breast of the heel. The kite shaped arrangement of the belt pulleys projects one portion of the belt to form a bulged portion constituting an operating point and allows room for the sole of the shoe between its reaches.

It will be noted that the bearing 52 for the pulley 40 is mounted upon a block 54 slidable in a groove in the outer end of the arm 22 and spring 56 is compressed between this block and an abutment on the arm 24 (Fig. 2) so as to push the bearing 52 outwardly to keep the belt taut. A thumb screw 60 is arranged to force the block 54 inwardly when it is desired to apply a new belt and a guard member 62 is provided to prevent the block 54 from bee" ing forced out of its groove in case of accidental breakage of the abrasive belt.

A support for the work comprises a vertical standard 7'0 rigidly attached to a block 72 provided with grooves designed to coact with the overhanging ledges 7 6 of a base plate 78 on the table 10. This block 72 is urged forwardly toward the abrasive belt to effect adequate contact of the tool and work by means of a spring 80 between one end of said block and an adjusting screw 82 threaded in a block 84 which is screwed to the base plate 78. The forward limit of movement of the work support is determined by an adjustable screw 86 threaded in a block 88 which is screwed to the plate 78. The path of movement of the block 7 2 will be seen to intersect the center of oscillation of the frame 18. Guard plates 90 and 92 may be attached to the upper edges of the ledges 76 to prevent the entrance of dust into the space between the sliding block 72 and the base plate 78. On the upper end of the standard 7 O is a work rest 94, which is slidable vertically and is normally spring-pressed upwardly by a spring 96 received in a socket of said rest and bearing against the upper end of the standard 70. A. pin 98 coacting with a groove 100 may be used to limit the upward movement of the work rest 94 and forms a convenient vided in the heel seat of the shoe extending 3 into the heel base and the rubber heel section, then it will be convenienttoprovide upstanding pins 102 to engage corresponding holes in the work and firmly to position it in a predetermined location with respect to the axis of oscillation of the frame 18 carrying the abrasive belt.

A holddown for the work is provided in the form of a tread-engaging plate 106 pivotally mounted upon the end of a stud 108 which is supported at the upper end of an arm 110 pivotally mounted on the block 72. The arm 110 may be swung to one side out of the way of the operator when a new piece of work is being inserted in the machine. When it is swung back to operative position the holddown plate 106 will engage the tread of the heel and, compressing slightly the spring 96, maintain the work at a fixed height with respect to the sliding block 72.

In the operation of the machine for scouring the breast of a rubber heel section, the swinging frame will be moved to the position determined by the stop 32 and a shoe, having been mounted upon the heel plate 94:, will be swung into longitudinal relation to the plate 72 thus allowing the pin 98 to enter the vertical portion of the slot 100 and prevent further rotation of the work. The holddown 106 will.

thenbe swung into engagement with the tread of the heel slightly to compress the spring 96 and hold the work tightly in place. As suming that the motor is in operation, the swinging frame will then be moved in a plane substantially parallel to the tread face of the heelor to the plane of the edge of the belt by means of handle 33 to bring the operative point on the'swiftly moving abrasive belt 42 intoengagement with the work. As the gage 50 approaches the corner of the heel, its curved end surfacewill meet the cornerof the breast of the leather heel base to effect a preliminary positioning of the heel and gradually guide the operative bulged portion of the belt where it surrounds the rotatable sleeve 46 into engagement with the breast of the heel and at the same time the gage will limit the relative movement of approach between the tool and the work thereby locating or determining the position of the latter. The point of contact of the abrasive belt 42 with the Work will be along a substantially vertical line which will be approximately parallel to and in front of the axis of the stud 14: mounted on the end of the arm 20 of the swinging frame and this line will shift as the frame is moved to transfer the point of op eration along the work. Preferably, and as illustrated in Fig. 2,.the machine will be designed so that the arc of the active portion of the forward edge of the gage 50 and the are described by the movement of the operating portion of the abrasivebelt will be substantially the same as the arc of the breast of the heel upon which the work is to be done.

It has been found, however, that the actual curvature of various heels does not exactly conform to the predetermined path of movement of the operative part of the belt and for this reason the support 7 0 is mounted upon the sliding block 72 so that under the action of the gage member 50, the work and the support may, if necessary, be forced back slightly against the tension of the spring 80. The result will be that the breast of the top section, here shown as a rubber heel, will be secured to correspond exactly with the breast of the leather heel base.

In order to utilize the machine for scouring the curved side and rear peripheral surfaces of the heel, the arrangement illustrated more completely in Fig. 5 will be utilized to support the shoe, and it will be noted that the arrangement of the operating tool only differs from that employed for scouring the breast of the heel in that the gage 50 has been re moved and a rand crease guide in the form of a thin rotatable disk 130 (Fig. at) has been substituted. Like the gage 50, this rand crease guide will assist in supporting the abrasive belt on the spool 46 and is itself held on the stud 44 by a screw 182. When the machine is used for this operation, the frame 18 carrying the abrasive belt is maintained in a fixed position by means of a set screw 134 passing through the bearing 1% to engage the pin 16. The work support (Fig. is mounted upon an arm 1 10 which is pivotally secured to the table 10 by means of a stud 1 12,. and the arm is urged toward the operating tool by a spring 144 secured to a post 1 16 in the table, the tension of this spring being adj ustable by means of a thumb nut 148. A vertical post 150 in the outerend of the arm 140 carries a sleeve 152 which is provided with a curved slot 154 coacting with a pin in the post 150. On the upper end of the sleeve 152 is a Work-engaging support 160 having a sliding connection 162 with the upper end of the sleeve, and preferably provided with pins 16- 1- corresponding to the pins 102 of the form previously described. A post 170 provided with a springpressed locking pin 172 may be mounted at the position indicated by the hole 1% (Fig. 1) in the plate 92 to lock the arm 140 temporarily in a convenient position for mounting the work upon the work support.

In the particular type of work for which the illustrated arrangement was designed, the surface of the breast of the heel may be generated by means of a right line located at an angle of 86 degrees with respect to the plane of the tread of the heel, and the outer surface of the heel is generated by a right line moving parallel to the line which generated the breast of the heel. The operative part of the abra-- sive belt is substantially vertical. The shoe must be tilted, therefore, to bring the curved periphery of the heel into full contact as the shoe is turned on the support. It is for this reason that the slot 154 is curved in its particular fashion so as to maintain the level of the rand crease substantially at the level of the rand crease guide 130. By swinging the arm 140 and by sliding the work support 160 upon the sleeve 152, the outer surface of the heel will be maintained in contact with the abrasive belt and the outer surface of the rubber heel top section and the outer surface of the leather heel base scoured.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine for scouring heels, a scouring tool, means for supporting the heel of a shoe for presentation to said scouring tool constructed and arranged to allow movement toward and away from the tool, resilient means urging the heel toward. the tool, a gage adjacent to the tool adapted to engage a portion of the shoe to limit the movement of the heel toward the tool, and means for effecting a relative movement of the heel and the scouring tool to present various portions of the heel to the tool.

2. In a machine for scouring heels, a pivoted supporting frame, a driving motor mount ed on said frame, an abrasive belt supported by the frame to be driven by the motor, means for supporting a shoe for presenting the top section of the breast of a heel to said abrasive belt constructed and arranged for movement in a fixed path toward and away from the path of oscillation of said supporting frame, guiding means on the pivoted frame arranged to engage the breast surface of the heel base, and means for urging the work toward the abrasive belt.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting a heel to present the breast of the heel to an abrasive too-l, said tool comprising an endless abrasive belt mounted upon a movable supporting frame, means for projecting a portion of said belt, a gage member associated with the belt adjacent to its proj cted portion, and means permitting longitudinal movement of the work support toward and away from the tool under the guidance of said 4. In a machine for scouring heels, movable means for supporting a heel to present the breast of the heel, resilient means urging said movable means in one direction, an abrasive tool, means for supporting said tool for movement along a predetermined path, and a guiding gage adapted to engage a portion of the breast of the heel thereby to move said work support against the tension of the resillentmeans to cause the tool to traverse the actual curve of the breast of the heel.

5. In a machine employing an endless abrasive belt, a movably mounted supporting frame provided with a plurality of devices for movably supporting said belt constructed and arranged to project one portion thereof to form a corner for contact with the Work, and an electric motor mounted on said frame constructed and arranged to drive the belt on its supporting frame whereby the mechanism is self-contained and the frame, belt and motor may be moved to present the projected corner of the belt to various portions of the work.

6. In a machine of the class described, a supporting standard, a frame pivotally mounted on said standard and provided with a plurality of arms, flanged pulleys mounted on some of said arms, an electric motor on the frame operatively connected to one of said pulleys, another of said arms being provided with a pulley and a rigidly-supported gage member adjacent to one end thereof in place of one of its flanges, and an abrasive belt surrounding said pulleys.

7. In a machine for scouring heel breasts, a pivotally mounted supporting frame, an endless abrasive belt, an electric motor mounted upon said frame arranged to drive said belt, guiding means on said frame for supporting ant guiding said belt about an open path designed to receive and avoid the sole of a shoe and for projecting the belt to provide an operating point, and means for supporting a shoe with the sole thereof within the reaches of said belt and with the heel breast surface thereof in position for en gagement with the operating point of said abrasive belt as the frame is moved to transfer the point of operation along the work.

8. In a machine for scouring heels, a pivoted supporting frame, a driving motor mount-ed upon said pivoted frame, an endless abrasive belt movably supported by said frame and arranged to be driven by said motor, means for supporting the work for presentation to the abrasive belt, and means for causing movement of the supporting frame around its pivot to transfer an operating point of the rapidly driven abrasive belt across the desired surface of the work.

9. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting a heel in a substantially fixed position, a supporting frame provided with means for guiding an endless abrasive belt, said frame being constructed and arranged to cause one portion of the belt to project in a manner suitable for engagement with the work, means for causing the rotation of the belt around its supporting frame, and means for moving said frame to cause the work-engaging projected portion of the belt to traverse the periphery of the heel along a fixed path.

10. In a machine for scouring heels, an operating tool,a slidable work support arranged to cause the work to approach or recede from the operating tool, a supporting jack on said slide, and means including a member engaging the tread face of the heel constructed and arranged to maintain the a fixe evel ha th w rk wi e Pr p r y p s n ed th e at th p erating tool. 1 1, In a machine for securing the outer suriaee of the heel of a shoe, a rotary abrasive tool, a rand crease guiding device mounted adjacent to one periphery of the tool, a movable support for the shoe, resilient means urging said support toward the tool, means allowing oscillation of the shoe upon the support, and a guiding means constructed and arranged to raise and lower the work upon its support as it is oscillated to bring various sections of the surface of the heel into operative relation With the tool so that the rand crease of the work shall be maintained substantially at the level of the rand crease guide on the tool. t

12. In a machine for scouring heels, a

scouring tool, means forsupporting a shoe heel for presentation to said scouring tool, means for causing relative movement of the scouring tool and the heel support to etfeot adequate contact of the tool with the work during the scouring operation, a gage adjacent to .the tool adapted vto contact with a portion of; the heel to limit such relative movement, and means for effecting relative movement of the heel and the scouring tool in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the tread face ofthe heel to cause the tool to act upon various portions of the heel,

13 In a scouring machine, an endless abrasive belt, meansfor supporting said belt arranged to drive the belt, means for projecting a portion of said belt to form a bulge for contact with a piece of; work, and means for shifting the position of said bulged portion in a plane substantially, parallel to the plane of the edge of the belt.

14. In a scouring machine, an endless abrasive belt, means for supporting said belt arranged to drive the belt, means for projecting a portion of said belt to form a bulge for contact with a piece of work, and means for effecting relative movementof the work and the bulged portion in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the edge of the belt to transfer the point of operation along the Work.

15. In a machine for scouring the breasts of the heels of boots and shoes, a scouring device, and agage member mounted ad acent to the periphery of the scourlng device, said gage member having a portion of its outline arranged adj agent. tthe edge of said scouring; belt a portion of; the outline of which gage plate corresponds to the curvature of the breasts of the heelsto be scoured, whereby said heels may be located with respect to the scouring belt by contact with said gage inember.

1 7 In a machine for scouring the breasts of the heels of boots and shoes, an endless abrasive belt, means for supporting said belt, and means for retaining said belt upon said supporting means including gage member projecting beyond said belt adjacent to one edge thereof, said member being constructed and arranged for contact with the breast of a heel during the presentation of said heel breast to said abrasive belt.

18. In a machine fon scouring the breasts of rubber toplifts upon the heels of boots and shoes, an abrasive scouring belt, means for upper ins s lt, and me ns or stain ng said belt upon said supporting means oemprising a gageplate positioned adjacent to one edge ofthe, abrasive belt constructed an a a g qde rmine he p i on f h rubber pl tw t e p ct te e abrasiv E l y e n ac w th t e b ast of t e ase.

19. In a machine for scouring rubber toplifts attached to the bases of bootsand shoes, an endless abrasive scouring belt, means for supporting said belt for movementin a sub s anti ly horizontal Pl a d mean for retaining said belt on said'supporting means including a gage projecting beneath the lower edge of the belt, said gage having; a portion ofits outline curved to agree with the cur-Va ture of the breast of the base of a heel so that the approachof the rubber toplift to the scouring device is controlled by the engagement ofsa-id gage with the breast oi theheel base.

20. In amachine for sceuring the breasts f t hee s ee d h s an. en abrasive belt, means for. supporting said belt p i t s po io s the be o te m a bulge for contact with the heel, and neans fo r a n ng sa elton a d cre n meansincluding a gage plate arranged beside the edge of the belt-adjacent to-the bulged po tien h r f, Sa s ge P at ha ng p tien r eie tina a subst nt a distast eve e t abrasive belt f le us n efieetins a are e y po i i ng at. the had In a h ee er securing e ls, mea i pp t n n v abrasive scouring belt arranged to provide an open space. within the-run of the belt for the receptionof: thesole of ashoe being presented to the belt and to project a portion of the belt to form-abulgefencontaet'with the heel, and heehgaging means; positioned adj aeent to said' bulged portion of the. securing belt adapted. in eentact wi h a er-tine the breastef the h el;

22. In a machine for scouring heels, means for supporting and driving an endless abrasive belt arranged to provide an open space within the run of the belt for the reception of the sole of a shoe being presented to the belt and to project a portion of the belt to form a bulge for contact with the heel, and heelgaging means positioned adjacent to said bulged portion of the scouring belt adapted to contact with a portion of the breast of the heel, said gaging means contacting with the edge of said abrasive belt to support and guide it. I

23. In a machine for scouring heels, means for supporting and driving an endless abrasive belt arranged to provide an open space within the run of the belt for the reception of the sole of a shoe being presented to the belt and to project a portion of the belt to form a bulge for contact with the heel, heelgagin means positioned adjacent to said bulged portion of the scouring belt adapted to contact with aportion of the breast of the heel, and means for effecting relative movement of the heel and the bulged portion in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the edge of the belt to transfer the point of operation along the workunder the guidance of said gaging means.

24. In a machine for scouring heels, an endless belt mounted upon a movable supporting frame, means for projecting a portion of said belt to form a bulge for contact with the heel, and a gage member associated with the belt adjacent to its projected portion, a portion of the contour of said gage member being like the desired contour of the breast of the heel and adapted to contact with the heel breast as the heel is presented to the belt.

25. In a machine for scouring heels, an endless belt mounted upon a movable supporting frame, means for projecting a portion of said belt to form a bulge for contact with the heel, a gage member associated with the belt adjacent to its projected portion, a portion of the contour of said gage member being like the desired contour of the breast of the heel and adapted to contact with the breast surface of the heel base as the heel is the path in which it is driven in a plane closely adjacent to the plane of the sole of the shoe'to which the-heel has been attached, and a gage member supported adjacent to said edge at the active operating point therethe breast of a heel thereby to determine the action of the scouring device upon the heel.

27. In a machine for scouring the breasts of the heels of boots'and shoes, a movable scouring element having an active operating portion adapted to be brought into contact with the breast of a heel so that one edge of the scouring element is closely adjacent to the base of the heel, and a gaging device supported adjacent to said edge of the scouring element arranged to contact with the breast of the heel to assist the operator in positioning the heel with respect to the scouring element.

28. In a machine for scouring the breasts of the heels of boots and shoes, a scouring element having an active operating portion adapted to be brought into engagement with the heel breast, and a gaging device supported adjacent to one edge of the scouring element at the active operating point thereof constructed and arranged both to effect a preliminary positioning of the heel and to control the position of the heel with respect to the scouring element during the operation upon the breast of the heel.

29. In a machine for scouring the breasts of the heels of boots and shoes, a driven scouring device having an active operating portion, and a gage member associated with the scouring device adjacent to its active por tion, a portion of the contour of said gage member being like the desired contour of the breast of the heel and adapted to contact with the heel breast as the heel is presented to said scouring device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HAROLD WARREN.

- of constructed and arranged to contact with 

